Review: The Day of the Space Voyager by James Parker Walker

A reluctant hero’s journey of self-discovery like no other, The Day of the Space Voyager by James Parker Walker is a gripping tale of aliens, angels, and ancient protectors of the stars.

When a solitary thinker, William Henry, encounters an interstellar traveler named Axzum one cold Colorado night, he is launched on an incredible journey into the unknown, even as he continues to explore the depths of his own consciousness and identity. Learning more about his connection to Axzum and his mysterious home planet, Will must come to terms with the truth of his eons-long mission.

Sent as a refugee from a dying planet millions of years ago, Will/Oakruum rediscovers his mystical purpose, and a renewed desire to connect with others like him. However, that might require a trip to Geuld, the unknown gateway planet at the far edge of the solar system. The unlikely group of survivors from Payraydayzay comes together to share in their uniquely painful grief, and join together to defend against the Nuul – a shadowy, all-consuming manifestation of hopelessness and dread. Negating one’s ability to know and be known, the Nuul is the ultimate evil, an ancient malice, but one that can be combatted with meditation, self-knowing, and true interconnectedness with others.

Whether stealing a centuries-old journal from Yale University, uncovering frozen aliens on space walks, or being swallowed by the simulation of a living memory, this heady sci-fi plot is unpredictable and wildly creative – genre-bending writing of the first order. Underwritten with a consistent pulse of philosophy and wonder, the book is reminiscent of other sci-fi masterpieces with a focus on human nature, including Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The writing style is balanced beautifully between the academic and poetic, where metaphors and musing become indistinguishable from exposition and internal monologue.

The storyline explores a range of timeless themes, such as the pain of losing one’s home, isolation from purpose, and the mysteries of faith, mortality, and the universe. Astrophysics, space, time, gravity, and the unknowable elements of the cosmos are discussed right alongside magic, miracles, rebirth, and infinite paradoxes, blurring the lines of science and human understanding. There are many moments that feel laden with deeper meaning, or at least relevant commentary on humanity’s current relationship with its home planet: “This world we’re on works to scramble, tangle and confuse us. Before long, we forget who we are all together and cling to fables and mythology for enlightenment. We are part of the world of our birth, not just residents of it.”

On a technical level, the prose is remarkably tight and tidy, and the language is surprisingly simple, despite the complex subject matter and mind-bending concepts. The accessibility of the language and storyline is essential within such a high-tech and high-minded plot, and the writing never demands too much suspension of disbelief, gradually easing readers into its immersive premise.

With an ever-developing cast, fascinating future tech, and timeless existential quandaries, this imaginative retelling of Earth’s history is a manifesto of shared consciousness, and a thrilling stellar adventure.